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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26250790">Same But Different</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/robdrobot/pseuds/robdrobot'>robdrobot</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, F/M, Mother Hermione Granger, Mysterious Hermione Granger, Mystery, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, POV Draco Malfoy, Pining Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:56:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26250790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/robdrobot/pseuds/robdrobot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco notices something is different with the Gryffindor Princess. She looks at him with a calculating look. Different emotions pass her face before she smiles at him. His breath catches at his throat, that smile was never addressed at him. He decided it was the perfect smile, breathtaking and beautiful. Nothing like the bucktooth girl from before. ONE-SHOT. AU (Originally posted in Fanfiction)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Dramione</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Same But Different</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>AN: Hello everyone, this is my very first fic. Nothing belongs to me but the plot. All rights belong to JKR and the HP World.</p><p>Any mistakes too are my own.</p><p>Enjoy!</p><p>-----</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Same But Different</p><p> </p><p>She was different. Her face is still stuck in a book, but he knows she’s different. Watching her across the great hall, Draco knows something about her has changed. He still sees glimpses of how she was before from time to time, raising those damn dainty hands in class seemingly the only one who knows the answer. Who was he kidding, of course she’s the only one who knows the answer.</p><p>Bloody know it all.But it’s a bit different now, somehow, like as if she answers for necessity. To put up a front. Nobody notices, especially not the two dunderheads she calls friends.</p><p>She stands up from her table, wonder boy looking at her oddly. Of course she says she's going to the library, but he knows she doesn’t go there. He knows because he checks.</p><p>...</p><p>The damn pink toad has been talking endlessly about reading the school's textbooks and all that nonsense. If it weren’t for Father’s extra tutors and his Godfather’s insistence on teaching him he won’t know a damn thing about Defense. He snorts, that pink toad utters bullshit all the time.</p><p>And of course The great potty have something to say again. Does he have to put himself out all the time? Bloody Gryffindors. He glances his view to the bushy brunette, and was mesmerized as he notices soft waves of curls going down the small of her back. Huh.. since when does she fix her hair? He smirks. Well, she did look nice that night of the Yule. But somehow this is different, who knew her hair had many shades of brown, red and gold in them. It was mesmerizing to watch her tuck her hair behind her ear with those dainty fingers of hers. Those fingers that are always covered in ... <em>Huh,</em> that's odd. Her hands are smooth and clean today. It’s as if she’s not even taking notes. As looks at her again, he realizes that she’s not even paying attention in class.</p><p>Still just looking out the window. Come to think of it, she didn’t even protest with scarhead today. She just stares blankly ahead. He thought he saw a flicker of anger behind those wide orbs awhile ago while looking at cat-toad (now that’s a weird species), but it was gone before he could check again. She must’ve felt my eyes on her because she suddenly looks me dead in the eye. I had to sneer at her before looking away. Merlin she could really break a sweat out off of him.</p><p>...</p><p>There was no Quidditch practice today but he had to get away from Pansy. Merlin, shag the girl once and she thinks you're asking her to marry you.</p><p>It was a gloomy afternoon and it looks like it was about to rain. But he didn’t care, he wanted to clear his mind. Especially now that it's mostly about a certain curly haired witch. He was doing lazy circles around the pitch when he suddenly notices the curls of his thoughts walking towards the lake.</p><p>Having nothing to do, Draco follows her sticking to the shadows from the canopies. She's been going around the castle with that small bag of hers. She must have cast undetectable extension charm on it.</p><p>She suddenly reaches in her bag and her whole arm disappears. He smirks, who knew the know-it-all carries around such an illegal item. Deciding on taunting her he flies closely to her until he sees her take out a guitar from the bag.</p><p>He stops mid-flight and perches himself on a high branch away from her view. He was mesmerized. Of course the know-it-all knows how to play a god damn guitar. Whats next, she can sing like an angel too? He almost fell from his perch when she suddenly sang. A song he doesn’t recognize. Probably muggle.</p><p>It was beautiful but haunting, almost as if her voice carries a pain like no other. He knows something is different with her, but this.. this takes the whole cauldron. What could have happened to her?</p><p>He knew he was invading a private moment especially when a lone tear slides down her cheek. Deciding to leave the witch alone he flies back to the castle.</p><p>...</p><p>He can see his godfather notices something different about her too. The dour man stares pensively at her while she prepares her ingredients. She just finishes her potions quietly, and now she barely raises her hand in class. Others are taking a notice too. Blaise thinks the know it all has been shagging someone because her uppity attitude is gone. Well whoever it is, it’s not one of dunderduo. They seem just as oblivious as before. Well maybe except for scarface, he looks at her sideways too. But she just looks back and smiles.</p><p>That seemed to relax her friend.</p><p>She hands her potion to Snape, and he sneeres at her giving her an Acceptable. Looking at her potions, its obvious to see it was brewed to perfection. But instead of arguing back she just nods at him and comes back to her table to clean it. Blaise gave me a look, looks like he now realizes something is very different with her.</p><p>...</p><p>He’s not that ecstatic about the yule break, its just another long holiday. He didn’t want to bother coming home. Especially since he won’t be able to see the curly haired witch, which come to think of it he hasn’t seen since yesterday.</p><p>It seems potty and weasel knows she's missing too because they have stepped in the library. He scowls at them. Those two are as graceful as trolls on a hippogriff. Madam Pince throws them a pointed look and they scramble out. It seems she was not at her special nook too, nor was she in the great hall this morning. She missed her morning classes too.</p><p>People are starting to whisper, assuming where the Gryffindor princess has gone. They said she's skived off and has had enough of her good girl image. He liked that image though, pure and good. He remembers his family motto, <em>Sanctimonia Vincet Sempe.</em> He snorts in derision, that girl is purer than his own. She is highly intelligent, annoyingly kind and now breathtakingly beautiful. What’s worse was she doesn’t let this get in her head, always humble like that.</p><p>But lately it seems she has been hollow. Like her life is empty. The fire in her eyes have dimmed since the beginning of the year, and he doesn’t seem to know why. He follows and watches her around but nothing explains her cutoff behavior. Maybe she’s trying a new look, girls are into that these days. Isn’t it?</p><p>He comes the great hall for dinner and sits down besides Blaise. He nudges me towards the high table. He glances there, it seems the old coot was gone too.</p><p>...</p><p><em>Son,</em> </p><p><em>I do not permit you to stay at the castle this </em> <em>Yule break</em><em>. </em></p><p><em>It is urgent you come home to the manor at once.</em> </p><p><em>S</em><em>everus will floo you from his</em> <em> office</em> <em> should you wish</em> <em>to avoid the train crowd. </em></p><p><em>Otherwise, </em> <em>I</em> <em>will be at the</em> <em>station to fetch you.</em></p><p>
  <em>Father</em>
</p><p> </p><p>His brows furrows. His father is willing to pick him up from the station? What is happening. He knows the dark lord has been staying at the manor? Draco pales, not wanting to be in the presence of his lord. He shudders every time those red dark eyes looks at him, and the sick fuck takes pleasure in his discomfort. He did not want him looking into his mind and seeing a certain witch in there. Merlin knows what that madman might do to him, or her!! If he finds out she’s a mud.. no, not that. She's a muggleborn.</p><p>He looks out the windows contemplating what to write backto father, he knows he cannot decline this. He wonders too when he stopped using that vile word.</p><p>...</p><p>"What do you think this means Lucius" Draco sees his mother, anxiety written all over her face. He has floo'd from Severus' office to the manor. His parents didn’t even bother greeting him this time.</p><p>"I don't know Cissy, I’m trying to figure it out my self too." </p><p>He enters the parlor and greets his parents. He gave a curt nod to his father and a peck on the cheek for his mom. He looks at them, question written on his face. He doesn’t dare speak, pureblood manners taught him to let the elders speak first. Lucius sensing this asks his son to settle on the opposite setee.</p><p>"Son it.. it seems.. I have no other way to say it" distraught clearly on Lucius' face. Draco was disturbed to say the least, his father was stumbling for words to say. The shock must have been obvious on his face because his father clears his throat</p><p>"It seems that there is no other way to say it, but we think, No..no I KNOW the Dark Lord has been killed. And this time for good. He has no way of returning anymore."</p><p>To say he was shock was an understatement. He knew the news they have was big, but he wasn’t expecting this.</p><p>"What makes you think that father?" He doesn't dare blink.</p><p>"My mark Draco, it’s gone"</p><p>His father shows his arm. The one he tries to cover all the time. It was pale, white and shockingly unmarked. He turns wide eyed to his father. </p><p>"How is that possible?"</p><p>...</p><p>Theo has been spending the remainder of the hols at the Manor. Their fathers looking into what happened to their Lord. It seems that the Dark Lord was truly gone. Every pureblood loyal to the cause has been shocked, but has remained quiet. Since his return during the Twi-wizard tournament the Dark Lord has been travelling with only the snivelling rat for a companion.</p><p>How the Dark Lord endures him he does not know. He suppose lackeys are always sniveling or drooling trolls. He thinks about Crabbe and Goyle, their fathers are the Dark Lord's supporters too.</p><p>He was rattled from his reverie when his father exits the floo. His face very different from his once aristocratic snob facade. Hair loose, with gaunt eyes and stubble across his face. His mother gasps at his look.  Lucius tells Theo to go back home to his father and he will meet Draco again at the Station.</p><p>Narcissa cups his husbands face, he was rigid standing still, back ramrod straight and very pale.</p><p>"Lucius.." His mother says softly.</p><p>"He's gone Cissa, the Dark Lord is dead."</p><p>...</p><p>Back in the Slytherin Common Rooms. Draco can sense the crippling tense atmosphere. Purebloods lost at what to do and who to believe.</p><p>He was just glad the Dark Lord's gone, he knew the man, no monster, was just a demented arse who does not give a fuck about pureblood traditions and the old ways. If you ask him honestly, muggleborn's should not really face the injustice and bigotry. But they were taught that muggleborn's are beneath them, magical abominations who does not deserve their magic. He snorts internally, he knows that’s not true. She's the living proof their prejudices  are wrong.</p><p>Blaise enters the common room, strutting towards him. All smug he flops down beside me.</p><p>"Have you heard, Potter’s in the infirmary. Said they hit his head or something. Bloody idiot made his scar bigger" Blaise sniggers. The only guy whose mouth gossips more than the Greengrass sisters. He thinks about what he said, she's probably there with scarhead. Mollycoddling him like a baby.</p><p>Her. He thinks about her again. With the Dark Lord gone maybe this time he can tell her...</p><p>"Oh, and miss prissy know-it-all has not come back yet! The redhead git has been going on and on about how he deserves to know where she is..." Blaise cuts his thoughts. She hasn't returned yet? This is not connected to the... he stops his thoughts right there.</p><p>That's quite impossible she's a muggleborn.</p><p>...</p><p>She never came back.</p><p>Some said a muggle boyfriend knock her up and she quit school. Others said she lost her magic or that she went to Bulgaria to follow that brute Quidditch player. He overheard the gossiping chits at the halls, said she turned into a vampire-warewolf, he rolls his eyes at this one. There’s also this one 3rd year hufflepuff who said her brain shrivel from information overload. He shakes his head, he knows she can read the whole Hogwarts’ library and still there’s not enough knowledge there that can sate her curiosity. Maybe curiosity killed the cat… No let’s not get too dark there.</p><p>He sees potty and weasel go down to the that giant oaf's hut. They've been despondent and lost. Bunch of fools, cant even function without her.</p><p>...</p><p>He graduates top of his class. Without her to compete against him it was easy to get the top position. His mother gives him a proud look from the crowd, even his father looks pleased.</p><p>He wonders if it could have been the same if she was here. But no, everything is different now.</p><p>...</p><p>It's been 3 years since he graduated from Hogwarts. He's the youngest Potions Master in Britain, his achievements just next from his godfather. His success in improving and inventing new products and potions for Malfoy Apothecary was no easy feat, but having to put most of his time in his work, it was a job easily done.</p><p>He still thinks about her some days. It helps that he's one of the most wanted bachelors in Britain right now. He can get any witch he wants. He had always preferred brunettes though.</p><p>His mother asks him when he will settle. He can’t help it when every woman he meets just ends up a poor comparison to her. Which is stupid, because all thoughts of her are mostly just from his fantasies. Sometimes he wonders if she was even real. But he sees Potter and Weasley in Diagon Alley, somber faces every time they pass by Flourish &amp; Blotts.</p><p>He wonders what happened to her, even Skeeter has nothing to write about the Gryffindor bookworm.</p><p>..</p><p>He stops at an almost empty park near the Leaky. Most of his friends are getting married now, and his mother pressures him more than ever. His father has been talking with Lord Greengrass, he just hopes its Astoria and not Daphne. He seldom thinks of her now, just a moment of passing thoughts about her.</p><p>He was distracted by a rumbling behind his bench. Draco saw a green snake slithering out from the shrubs. His fear of snakes makes the back of his hair stand. It doesn’t matter if his former school house mascot was a snake, those reptiles make him break into cold sweats.</p><p>He was about to cast a stinging curse for it to go away when a boy suddenly grabs the snake and hisses at him. The boy was no more than 5 or 6 years old. With black wavy hair combed perfectly, not a strand out of place.</p><p>He was stuck in place as he stares at the glare of the boy. Something about his dark green eyes that is eerily familiar to him, but he cannot quite place it. Suddenly he hears a voice. The same voice he has not heard from such a long time ago.</p><p>"Thomas, you know it's not proper to glare at people" the woman in front of him says sternly.</p><p>"But Muuum, this Man was about to attack Sally!!" whines the boy.</p><p>Draco couldn’t help but gape at the sight before him. It was the same long cascading curls he used to stare back at potions class, however it was also different. Her slender frame more womanly now, and her face more beautiful from what he remembers. He couldn’t help but stare. She was really different now, save for one. Her eyes, the ever intelligent knowing amber eyes that he cannot help but drown in them. He feels like she’s staring into his very soul.</p><p>"Nobody gets to hurt Sally mom! She's my friend" the boy, no the brat cries to his mom.</p><p>Mom, so I guess the rumors were true. </p><p>"Well hello to you too Draco. Hmm, yes you can say that I' am Thomas' mom" she smiles down at the boy and the boy relaxes as he sees his mom's attention was back at him. He grimaces, he didn’t mean to say his thoughts out loud.</p><p>"It's nice to see you too Granger, you look very different." She raises her brows at him, lips thinned and pinched. A disapproving look on her face. "I..I.. I mean good different.." he stumbles out "I mean you look good Granger, it's been so long since I last saw you." If he notices that she still acknowledge being called Granger he doesn't show it.</p><p>She looks at him with a calculating look. Emotions pass by her face before she smiles at him. His breath catches at his throat, that smile was never addressed towards him. He decided it was the perfect smile, breathtaking and beautiful. Nothing like the bucktooth girl from before.</p><p>She nods at him and said her goodbyes. He never got to ask what happened to her, or where she goes now, or if she still sees Potter and Weasley.</p><p>He was staring at her retreating back holding her son's hand on her right.They were about to turn in the spot and apparate when he sees the boys narrowed eyes glaring at him again.</p><p>And right there, he found himself frozen, eyes wide.</p><p>Horror creeps in him. He sees it now, it was the same eyes that used to bring chills to his blood when they glare at him at the manor. Same eyes that puts grown dark wizards to their knees. Same eyes, but different.</p><p>As the mother and son disappear before his eyes. The only thought he has...</p><p>"What have you done Granger?"</p>
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